Study: Dyson hand dryers spread more germs than paper towels, other dryers

[n2doc]

LONDON, April 15 (UPI) -- Dyson Airblade hand dryers are in the news again, as media outlets report on a February study finding they spread significantly more germs than regular dryers or paper towels.

Researchers at the University of Westminster tested the hand dryer against the other two methods, finding they spread 60 times more viruses than regular dryers and 1,300 times more viruses than paper towels, according to the study, published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.

The Airblade has been championed by European public health officials, as well as the company itself, as a revolutionary way of drying hands in public bathrooms based on studies showing it filters out 99.9 percent of bacteria from air it blows around.

The Westminster study echoes another by the same researchers in 2014 that showed the Airblade spread 27 times more bacteria than paper towels, which researchers said reinforces overall concerns about hand dryers -- including those raised by Dyson about other methods of drying hands.

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http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/04/15/Study-Dyson-hand-dryers-spread-more-germs-than-paper-towels-other-dryers/5511460748175/?spt=mps&or=2&sn=sn

[Travis_0004]

1. Isn't the whole point of washing hands to kill bacteria?

I realize nobody ever kills all the bacteria, and if I sneeze in my hand, you should probably not directly put it into any blow dryer. Even after reading this article, I would choose a dyson hand dryer over a normal one if both were available.

[brewens]

2. One thing I hate is cost saving measures that make it more of a pain in the ass to use the bathroom!

We just recently had these water saver faucets installed at work. Now it takes me twice as long to rinse all the soap off of my hands! And the soap dispenser really doesn't give you enough in one try to do the job right. It makes me want to just say, "duh, okay boss, have it your way. One squirt of foam so I can get it off quick!" So then I'm back out there with my hands just half-assed washed! Brilliant!

[skepticscott]

3. No kidding

All the high velocity air dryers do is aerosolize the bacteria left on your hands that have survived the anti-bacterial soap. i.e. just about the worst thing you can do.

[CentralMass]

4. Hmmm. I just used one

[Mosby]

5. I don't like the air dryers

I use the paper towels on the door handle on the way out.

[MisterP]

6. real solution: bathroom doors that open outwards